UPDATE: First Timers & ‘Feel Good Films’ on Critics’ Week Roster

UPDATE: First Timers & 'Feel Good Films' on Critics' Week Roster

‘Who will be the new Wong Kar wai, Jacques Audiard, Andrea Arnold or Alejando Gonzalez-Inarritu?’ lured a promo for the lineup announcement for this year’s Critics’ Week sidebar at next month’s Cannes Film Festival. Opening the section this year, according to Critics Week, are Michel Leclerc’s “Le Nom des gens,” Marc Fitoussi’s “Copacabana,” and Quentin Dupieux’s “Rubber,” all from France.

EDITORS NOTE: This story was revised from an earlier edition because it included outdated, mistaken material that was published earlier today by Critics Week. It has been revised to reflect their changes. We apologize for any confusion.

“The 2010 [Critics Week] will deliberately focus on youth,” with seven first time features, said section head Jean-Christophe Berjon, in a video statement on the festival’s website. Berion added that Janus Metz’s “Armadillo,” from Denmark, will mark the first time that a documentary has screened in competition since the section became competitive twenty years ago.

Jean-Christophe Berjon also noted the inclusion of a number of what he called, “feel good movies,” this year. He cited the inclusion of four comedies in the sidebar in 2010, three on opening night, Fitoussi’s “Copacabana,” Leclerc’s “Le Nom des Gens,” and Dupieux’s “Rubber,” as well as Ola Simonsson & Johannes Stjärne Nilsson’s “Sound of Noise,” screening in competition.

On the short film side, Berion noted that three titles are animated films this year and he added that the section will close with a trio of shorts again this year.

Running through May 21st, the section is an unaffiliated sidebar to the event that has a strong track record in showcasing first and second time filmmakers. Now in its 49th year, programming for the Critics Week (Semaine de la Critique) is handled by a group of film critics.

Seven features and seven shorts have been selected for the event along with a roster of special screenings, all of which are listed on the Critics Week website. Each year Critics’ Week also shows a selection of feature and medium length titles as special screenings.

Included on the list this year is David Robert Mitchell’s “The Myth of the American Sleepover” from this last month’s SXSW Film Festival in Texas.